Frederic schaefer



F. SCHAEFER. CONNECTING BAR.

APPLIEATION FILED OCT 14. I918.

Patented July 8, 1919.

INVENTOR WITNESSES a specification. This invention relates to connecting bars 'for use in connecting the "brake levers of railway trucks, or for use as push rods for brake unirnn srArrEs rATEnroFFicE. T

FREDERIC SCHAEFER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

CONNECTINGLBAR To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERIC SCHAEFER, a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Connecting-Bars, of which the following is cylinders and for other similar purposes, and especially to such bars formed from pressed plate metal. Connecting bars of this general type are shown in my prior Patents Nos. 1,240,493, issued Sept. 18, 1917, 1,211,763, issued January 9, 1917, and 1,263,608, issued April 23, 1918. These bars are formed from pressed plate metal, slotted at the ends and bent to hollow form with the slotted end portions forming parallel ears which are provided with pin eyes. With certain kinds of railway equipment it is necessary to extend these connecting bars forconnection to auxiliary levers. The purpose of the present invention is'to provide connecting bars having end extensions for connecting to auxiliary levers and so constructed that the parallel ears of suflicient'- length for connection to the. auxiliary levers will be sufliciently braced and stifi'ened to pre. vent them from buckling or bending.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of the plate from which the baris formed, showing the same after the shaping die operations and prior to bending the plate into tubular or hollow form; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the finished bar; Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof; and Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sections taken respectively on the lines'44, and 55, Fig. 3.

The improved connecting bar is formed I from a fiat metal plate 1, which in the flat,

is subjected to suitable die operations to form therein at each end a central longitudinal slot 2, extending close to but not quite to the end of the plate, leaving at the extreme end a transverse connecting portion 3; two series of pin eyes or openings, 4, 4., 5, 5 6, 6*, '7, 7 arranged in two rows on opposite sides of the slots 2; and a pair of longitudinal embossments 8 on each side of the longitudinal center of the plate and opposite the inner ends of the slots 2. Preferably the metal around the pin eyes will be extruded to form embossments 9 and 10 in both Specification of Letters Patent.

' I Application filed October 14, 1918 Serial No. 258,128.

Patented July 8, 1919.

directions from the plate in order to give in creased bearin for the connecting pins as illustrated in Patent No. 1,263,608 above identified.

These several operations will be performed by suitable pressing, punching andforging dies while the plate is in the flat, and therefore can be economically performed and the 1 parts shaped.

The formed plate is then bent to bring a. central or body portion 11 into hollow form, preferably of the form shownin Figs. 4 and 5, being substantially tubular in shape; but,

if desired, maybe brought to any of the other hollow forms illustrated in the several patents above identified. In bending the plate to hollow forms the portions at the two sides of the central slots 2- are brought into parallel relation to form a pair of parallel ears 12 with the several "pairs of pin eyes therein in alinement with each other, and having these ears at the extreme end portions connected by the integral connecting piece 3. As a consequence these long parallel ears are cross connected at their ends, to brace and stiffen them and give them 7 the necessary strength to withstand deformation in use.

In use, the auxiliary lever above referred to will be connected to the outermost pin eyes 4, 4, and the brake lever will be connected to one of the other pairs of pin eyes. At their roots or bases the ears are braced and stiffened by the embossments 8 which are of arch shape in transverse section, as to increase the beam effect or strength of the bars at these points against lateral bending;-

The connecting bar described is of light weight, and maximum strength for its I weight, and notwithstanding that the ears (which are substantially flat) are very long, they are nevertheless sufliciently strengthened and braced by the cross connections attheir extreme ends. Furthermore this cross connection is integral with the ears them selves, and its production or formation requires no additional operation in the manufacture of the bar.

The bar can be produced by simple and perfectly practical manufacturing operations, and notwithstanding its light weight, it is reinforced at all places where weakness would otherwise exist, to resist all stresses to which such bars are subjected. It meets the exacting requirements demanded for bars wide limits.

- to form oppositely of thischaracter and will withstand the severe conditions encountered in railway service. 1

It will beunderstood that the exact form of the body of the bar illustrated is not necessary, but this can be varied within quite The bar can be readily formed according "to the method illustrated and described inmy Patent #1,270,059, issued June 18, 1918. What I claim is:v 1. A connecting bar comprising' a one piece hollow bodymember slotted at'its end disposed ears but with the slot terminating shortof the extreme end of the bar' to leave an integral cross'connec- 3. A connecting bar comprising a .one

posit'ely disposed apertures and the.metal and the metal of the. body member opposite the inner endof said slot being displaced laterally into arch form.

piece hollow body' member slotted. at its end to' form pppositelydisposed ears, said slot terminatlng short of the end. of said body member to leave an integral cross connection between the ends of the ears, said'ears having oppositely disposed. apertures and the metal around the. same thickened to increase: the bearing surface.

p 4. A connecting bar comprising a one piece hollow body member slotted at its end toform' oppositely disposed. ears, said slot terminating: short of the said body member to leave an integral cross connection between the'ends of the ears, said ears having op-',

around the same thickened to increase the bearing surface; "and opposite the' root of said ears being displaced laterally into arch form.- '5

' In testimony whereof, have hereunto set my hand. I

' FREDERIC SGHAEFER.

Witnesses:- v

ALICE A. TRrnL, GER'rRUDn WINTER. 

